Morphological changes in parenhyma of the liver of rats during long-term estrogen therapy

Abstract

Objective. Oral steroid contraceptives were marketed in the United States in 1960s. They became one of the most widely used methods of reversible contraception in developing countries. Oral contraceptives are being used every day by more than 50 mln women around the world for the prevention of unwanted pregnancy as well as by women in replacement therapy. Estrogen replacement offers significant benefits to many postmenopausal women. The benefits and risks as they pertain to each individual patient should be reviewed with her in details. The aim of this study was to establish the influence of estrogen therapy on parenchyma of liver. The first descriptions of a relationship between Replacement Hormonal Therapy (RHT) use and the development of benign hepatic lesions were reported in early 1970s. Histopathologic diagnosis of benign liver tumors has been reported as focal nodular hyperplasia adenoma, solitary hyperplastic nodule and focal cirrhosis. Investigation of the possible relationship between HRT and liver cancer has provoked considerable controversy. Synthetic sex steroids are believed to potentate cholestasis, hypervascularity, microsomal enzyme induction.

Full Text

Methods. The studies were carried out on 100 Wistar strain rats. The average weight of rats was 250-350 g. The animals lived in cages. The diet was standard. Rats were divided randomly into 5 experimental groups. Group KO-Control group contained 20 rats. Group KI - Control group of 20 rats. We injected i.m. sunflower oil one time per week for 8 weeks at a dose of 0.0015 g/1 kg weight of rat. Group А - The group of 20 rats. We injected i.m long-term activity estrogen one time per week for 8 weeks at a dose of 0.00075 g/1 kg weight of rat. Group B - The group of 20 rats. We injected i.m. long-term activity estrogen one time per week for 8 weeks at a dose of 0.0015 g/1 kg weight of rat. Group C - The group of 20 rats. We injected i.m. long-term activity estrogen one time per week for 8 weeks at a dose of 0.03 g/ 1 kg weight of rat. The specimens of liver were formalinized and stained. The histological asses were determined using the method of Hematoxylin and Eosin and the method of PAS and the method of Masson.

The results of the experiment described above support the following conclusions: 1. The long-term therapy of estrogens courses impairment of the blood circulation in the liver. 2. There is correlation between dose of administrated estrogens and intensifications of changes in parenchyma of the liver.